Virtue, the Islamic party formed when its predecessor, Welfare, was banned in 1998 after being thrown out of office, has spotted that with a European arm around its shoulder it might be better able to insist, for instance, that females should be allowed, despite current laws, to wear headscarves in state-run schools and government offices.

ECONOMIST: Is it adieu to Ataturk?

Under the current national development plan, state hospitals will gradually be run like companies, though as government-owned entities.

CNN: HOSPITALS IN FLUX

Current Vice-President Elias Jaua is set to run against Mr Capriles in elections for governor of the populous Miranda state, in December.

BBC: Hugo Chavez names Nicolas Maduro as his vice-president